Improvement in potato-diggers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. I. HERRICK.

POTATO-BIGGER.

Patented Ju1y'4. 1876.

Wfinesses'.

NJEI'EHS, PNOTO-LITNOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

w. I. HERRICK.

POTATO-BIGGER.

Patented July 4,1876.

Niknuses.

N. PETER$. PHOTO-LITNOGRAPNEI. WASNMTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT" Genoa WILLIAM I. HERRICK, OF SOHODAOK LANDING, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGERS'.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179.452. dated J My 4,1876; application filed November 30, 1875,

tato-Diggers, of which the following is'a full' and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of thisspecification, in which-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section at the line:20 m, and Fig. 2a plan view.

My invention consists in constructing and combining the several parts ofa potato-digger substantially in the manner herein shown and described.

The object of my invention is to mechanically open the hills in whichthe potatoes are grown, and thoroughly remove and separate the potatoesfrom the soil.

As shown in the drawing, A is the main frame-work of the machine, whichmay be'made of any fit material, and in any form suitable for receivingthe parts affixed thereto B, the axle-upon whichthe wheels 0 revolve,and which may, when desirable, constitute a part of the framework of themachine; D, a frame, hinged by the pivot 01 to the main frame work, andhaving its two posterior limbs deflecting upward, as shown in Fig. 1,for receiving the cross-barE, the bracketseof which are secured to theends of the frame D F, a bar, fixed to the head of the frame D, providedwith a slotted opening at each end, in one of which the colter G issecured, the other serving to secure the brace H of the colter; I, aplow, secured to the lower extremity of the colter G, for raising andopening the hills of potatoes. This plow is made in the form shown inFig. 2, and is rendered adjustable in its position in relation to theframe D by a seriesof holes in the upper ends of the colter G and braceH J, gear wheels, revolving on the axles of the wheels 0, provided withratchet-wheels secured thereto and arranged in such manner that, whenthe machine is moved forward, the spring pawls K will engage in theratchetwheels and impart to the gear wheels J the same speed as theWheels (J acquire. When the machine. is moved backward the spring-pawlsslip freely Over the teeth of the ratchet-wheels, leaving thegear-Wheels J motionless; L, a doublecranked shaft, having its hearingsin the sliding boxes I, and provided with the loose pinions M, havingratchet-wheels secured thereto. The disks N are secured to the'ends ofthe shaft L, and are provided with the springpawlsa, (shown in Fig.-3,)which engage in the ratchetwheels of the pinions M (when these pinionsare turned in the right direction) 7 and give motion to the shaft L. Oare intermediate gear-wheels revolving on the studs 0 for producing andimparting an accelerated speed to the shaft L. P are the rakes, each oneof them being provided with a series of bent teeth, arranged, in asingle line, transversely to the path of the machine and to the bar orhandle of the rake, the form of them being closely similar to that ofthe common garden rake. The space occupied by the toothed ends of theserakes is nearly equal to the width of the machine inside of the frame A.They are arranged to penetrate the earth at each side of the colter G insuch manner that, however rapidly they may be driven, the teeth cannotenter the same perforations a second time during a single transit of themachine. The rear ends of them are suspended by means of swinging forkedlinks Q to the cross-bar E, and they are connected, without anyintermediate device, directly to the wristpins of the cranks of theshaft L, whereby a positive motion is imparted to them for forcing theteeth into the soil, at each revolution of the shaft, to the full depthof penetration to which themachine is adjusted. By suspending the rakesby the links Q, and imparting motion to them by the cranks, as abovedescribed, the points of their teeth are moved in an oval direction, themajor diameter of the oval being nearly vertical. These rakes should beso arranged that the points of their teeth will pass intheir downwardstroke a little in advance of the point of intersection of the colter Gand brace H. By doing this the rakes catch the vines gathered by thecolter, and by their rearward stroke remove them therefrom, and bypassing them out of the Way preventing the machine from becoming cloggedby an accumulation of the vines, thereby entirely remedying a commondefect in potatodiggers. By means of the slotted openings (2 theposition of the cross bar E can be adj ust-ed in or out, so as to changethe penetration of the rake-teeth in relation to the depth of the furrowcut by. the plow I,

R, a tumbling-shaft, operated by the hand lever r held in any requiredposition by the notches of the quadrant T and provided with an arm, rwhich is connected by the link S to the brace H. By means of thiscombination tire] y clear from the ground. In effecting this it willreadily be seen that, as the plow I is raised, the opposite endofthe-frame D is depressed, forcing down the rear ends of the rakes P, theopposite or toothed ends of the rakes being thereby correspondinglyraised, and ina like manner the teeth of the rakes drop down as the plowis lowered; T, a tumbling-shaft, operated by the hand-lever t, andprovided with the arms 1 which are connected by the rods U to thesliding boxes I for moving the pinions Min and out of gear with thewheels 0. When in gear the lever 15 is secured in its place'by the catchV. Wis a seat for the driver, placed within easy reach ofthe levers rand t.

As the machine is drawn forward, the

wheels 0, through the gear wheels J, O and M, impart a rapid motion tothe shaft L, by the cranks of which the toothed rakes P are moved at acorresponding speed, the teeth of which are driven into the soil thathas been been raised and broken by the colterG and plow I, in suchmanner as to greatly facilitate the penetration of the teeth of therakes. By

tions of the rakes, it is effected by turning the I tumblingshaft T bythe lever t By this means the sliding boxes I are moved rearward,carrying the pinions M out of gear with their driving-wheels O.

Ido not claim, as my invention, the rakes of potato-diggers, having'aseries of teeth arranged in either straight or staggering lines alongthelength ot' a bar running parallel to the path of the machine; neitherdo I claim them of any construction differing fromthe specific formherein shown and described but I claim as my invention- 1. Thecombination, with theplow, ofa potato-digger, and two or more toothedrakes cooperating therewith to separate and remove thepotatoes from thesoil, of a colter for cutting and separating the ground as it is raisedand delivered over the surface of the plow.

2. The combination, withthe colter G, of the toothed rakes P,co-operating therewith to remove the potato-vines, in the manner and forthe purpose herein specified.

' WILLIAM I. HERRIOK. Witnesses:

SANFORD 'R. HASKELL, HENRY (J. HASKELL.

